


there are far more stranger things

by madhearted



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon (Main Video Game Series), Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types, Pocket Monsters: Diamond & Pearl & Platinum | Pokemon Diamond Pearl Platinum Versions
Genre: Gen, Step-siblings, but what if??!!? JUST IMAGINE, idk tbh, idk what i'm even doing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-10
Updated: 2015-06-10
Packaged: 2018-04-03 18:41:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 635
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4111093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/madhearted/pseuds/madhearted
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"I—you're—<em>what?</em>"</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Revelations and <i>interesting</i> developments happen when Dawn and Barry have dinner with their parents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	there are far more stranger things

There are a lot of emotions going through Dawn—shock, disbelief, anger, confusion—and honestly, she doesn't know what to actually feel. She just sits there, gaping at her mom's nervous smile, at Palmer's pursed lips and their clasped fingers on the table.

"I—you're— _what?_ " she bursts out. She takes a deep breath. "Since—Since when was this happening? How come I— _we_ never knew this! How did this happen? Isn't—"

Johanna takes her hand and sighs. "Dawn, honey..."

Dawn shuts her mouth and bites her lip. She shoots a glance at Barry, sitting beside her. He has his brows furrowed and his jaw clenched, and it was then that she realized that he hasn't said anything, not a single word, which isn't like him. (She even expected him to say something like, "That's such a terrible joke, you guys! I'm gonna fine you a million dollars for that!")

The silence that followed is deafening, until Palmer broke it. "You were... ah, never around," he tells them. "You two were always wandering off, travelling. Not to mention, of course, Dawn's duties as the Champion..."

"I think I need a moment," Barry mutters. He flashes a smile at Johanna as he stands up. "Thank you for the wonderful meal, Johanna."

Palmer opens his mouth, but before he could even say anything, his son is already gone from the room.

Johanna looks worriedly at Palmer and gives his hand a reassuring squeeze. Dawn bites her lip nervously, because she knows that something is definitely wrong if Barry is so calm and stoic like that, unlike his usual loud, cheerful self.

"I think I'll go too," Dawn says softly, and like Barry, leaves the dining room.

She finds him sitting on the roof of her house—one of the places she know he'll go, because if he isn't on the roof of his house, he's on hers, and if he isn't there, he's on the playground that they always played in when they were little.

She doesn't know if she wants to approach him, but he notices that she's there, anyway.

"Hey," he mutters as she sits beside him. He doesn't even look at her.

"Hi," she replies. She tries to smile, but it's more of a grimace.

Dawn tries to think of something to say, to but she finds that words have left her. What can she even possibly tell him? It's not like she could just say, 'Oh, our parents apparently have been dating for a few years without us knowing and now, they're going to get married—isn't it great?'

(Nothing she'd say would change anything, anyway.)

"I never saw it coming, y'know?" Barry tells her. "Your mom and my dad. I just— _ugh_. I really... I really don't know how to feel about this."

' _I know_ ,' she wants to tell him. But instead, she says nothing as she clasps their hands together.

"Arceus," Barry groans. "They're getting married. That means we'll be  _stepsiblings._ " He wrinkles his nose. "I'll have to live with  _you,_ of all people."

Dawn elbows him, pretending to be offended. "Hey, I'm not  _that_ bad. And anyway, just as long as they're happy, I'm good."

"Yeah."

They sit there in silence, beneath the stars and their fingers intertwined.

"Hey Dee Dee," Barry says suddenly. "Who told you that you can hold my hand, anyway?" He cracks a wide grin. "I'm gonna have to fine you a million Poke Dollars for that, y'know."

Dawn is grateful that it's too dark for him to see her flushed cheeks. "I'm sorry! I just... thought you could use some... I don't know! I just—I could let go if you want me to," she tells him lamely.

"Nah." He gives her hand a squeeze. "You can keep holding my hand all you want,  _sis._ "

**Author's Note:**

> i found this while i was cleaning up my drive and i thought i should dump it here soz


End file.
